Houghton as we remember him: Playing for Ireland against Italy in Italia 90 (photography/Allsport)

Houghton the player was a pugnacious, demanding, unforgiving character and, as the Crystal Palace players have found in the last few months, he's not that much different as a coach. There was even a spell when it looked as though the battle of wills would only be settled by some blood-letting, either by a section of the Palace players or by the demise of Houghton, fellow coach Glenn Cockerill - and even perhaps manager Alan Smith himself.

Fortunately, sanity prevailed and the trio, now established and guiding Palace firmly in the right direction, will be in their usual places on the Selhurst Park bench tonight, for the first leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

It promises to be a special night for all Palace fans and particularly for Houghton, a former Palace player who also spent five years at Anfield between 1987-92.

On the face of it, Glaswegian Houghton is more used to the role of hot favourite than the unfancied, but as he recalls: 'I was in the Fulham team which twice drew 1-1 with mighty Liverpool in the third round of the then Milk Cup in 1983 before losing the second replay 1-0.

'That was when Liverpool had a great side, Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Alan Hansen and the rest, but we matched them all the way.'

Houghton was also a member of the Liverpool side which lost 4-3 to Palace in that unforgettable FA Cup semi-final 11 years ago. 'That's cup football for you,' he says. 'Anything can happen - and often does.

'We're obviously up against it because Liverpool are still a pretty formidable outfit these days, and especially now they seem to have encouraged Emile Heskey into scoring goals as well as making them. They are a club who remain close to my heart. I spent five fantastic years there, during which time we won the League Championship and went a record 29 matches unbeaten.

'They're good memories but that's what they are - memories. My job now is to help Alan build a Crystal Palace team which can give their supporters some good times again and tonight we have that chance.

'Of course we know how difficult it will be. Liverpool have had quality right through their teams for years and this side is no exception. Their fans are also used to winning things and they will be looking to end a little spell without a meaningful trophy in their boardroom.'

Houghton was accused of being too abrasive by some Palace play-ers in the first few weeks of his new job, but he remains pragmatic.

'What the players needed more than anything else when we came in was direction,' he says. 'Some of the people who had been there before us hadn't stayed too long.

'I didn't take the job because I needed the money. Glenn and I came to Palace because we love the game and we felt this was a club where we could achieve things.

'Before we came, Palace hadn't had the best of summers, particularly the pre-season tour to China, so it was always going to take a little time to get a little momentum going.

'Yes, we were hard on the play-ers at times but we had talked things over with Alan and we knew they could do better. It soon all came to a head and it was a bit of a gamble by Alan to criticise some of those players publicly.

'It was a situation, though, where either they were going to win or we were. Fortunately, the chairman backed Alan and ourselves and everyone has come through it well, including the players.

'They've come on in leaps and bounds since then, as our achievement in coming this far in the Worthington Cup emphasises.

'Not that we're easing up now. If you want to succeed in this game you have to set yourself consistently higher standards. You can't mess about all week and then expect to go out and perform on a Saturday afternoon. It doesn't work like that.

'If you want to be the best you have to act like the best. Is it just luck that Manchester United keep winning, week after week? Not on your life. They have worked hard for what they have achieved and they're still grafting now.

'We've had our blips, of course, and we will have more in the future, but performances such as the FA Cup draw at Sunderland demonstrate just how much character there is in this squad.

'Two-legged ties mean that it's unlikely that Liverpool will go for the jugular tonight but they will want this one badly. People say they have underachieved in recent years but Gerard Houllier is building a new team there and it takes time to settle things down as we've discovered at Palace.

'I would love to see Liverpool up there challenging for the Premiership title once more. At the moment, what with Arsenal and Leeds faltering a little, Manchester United are head and shoulders above the rest.

'Tonight, though, we can both have a night away from the League and enjoy what I hope is a great cup night.